St Francis College - Motus Yearbook (Biddeford, ME)

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Reverend Father Justinien Mercier, O.F.Mt the Franchcan fdary and Rs hrn supedov The founder of Decary Hall, circa 1914. True education is the art of developing and cultivating the various physical, intel- lectual, aesthetic and moral faculties. It is a bringing to fruition of the rationality and the unimality of the human being. Man is man and he who wouid deny his animality would err grievously. But for the great thinkers man has always been some- thing more. It is his spiritual nature which places him above the animal. Only an insti- tution which recognizes these spiritual dimen- sions can hope to pierce through the confines of materialism to the world of true morality and true education. Such were the aims of Saint Francis Col- lege when the State of Maine chartered it as a four-year liberal arts college in 1953. At that time, the trustees, their associ- ates and successors of the Franciscan Fathers of Maine were constituted a body politic and corporate by the name of Franciscan Fathers of Maine. The corporation was further em- powered and authorized to establish, main- tain and conduct at Biddeford an institution of higher learning to be known as Saint Francis College, and to provide in that College instruction in such languages and in the liberal and useful arts and sciences, including, but not limited to, courses in the humanities, sacred sciences, as the trustees of that corporation would determine; and to grant and confer at and through the College the academic degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science.

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3a. f'wwi m x 77- ; OJ L. 0' 220 'f utthL-r: The Flood House, which stood on the present front lawn, circa I910. This structure was remodeled in 1938 for use by the high school; it was removed in I950. The Right Reverend Monsignor Arthur M, Decary, PD. It was Monsignor Decary, the pastor of Saint Andre's Church, who invited the Franciscans to Biddeford. Inscribed in the marble of the temple to Apollo at Delphi are the words: KNOW THYSELF. The deep insight embodied in these words is typical of the wise Greek mind. This temple is 2500 years old and its ruins bear witness to its age, yet the applicability of this mandate has extended from age to age. It oppties to us as well as it did to the Greeks who developed a perfect balance be tween spirit and mind. Man is o microcosm, a universe unto himself, and in knowing himv self thoroughly he will know all else. The Saint Francis College motto Lucens et Ardens evidences its objective in education: to enlighten the mind and to kindle within the will noble ideals. We at Saint Francis College are pursuing courses in the Groeco- Judoic-Christian tradition which are geared to that end. Scnt Francis is a four year liberal arts College whose aim is to give the student both the cultural background necessary for an adequate understanding of his posture in our contemporary society and to give him a knowledge of the truths as they are derived from the various faculties. Throughout its ten year history, Saint Francis College has endeavored to integrate the vari- ous arts and sciences in a manner most bene- ficial to the students. The great classic teach- ers have always held that education to be complete must be intellectual, but also moral.

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First high school graduates, circa 1943. Saint Francis High School, I940. The majority of human institutions have had very humble beginnings. They are products of their age, formed to meet certain needs. 80, too, our College, now in its tenth year is of similar origin and was founded to meet a certain need, the higher education of the youth of today. Invited to Biddeford by Fathers Zenon and Deccry, who were then serving Saint An- dre's Parish, two Franciscan priests and a Franciscan brother began their opostolate in Biddeford, Maine on November 30, 1933. In finding a new settlement in Biddeford, these men were following in the apostolic tradition of their Order founded by Saint Francis of Assisi in the thirteenth century. The conquer- ing spirit of Saint Francis, common to his sons, brought to our continent its first missionaries with Columbus. The names of Le Caron, Hennepin, Juan Perez and Junipero Serra hove immortalized the missionary labors of countless Franciscan pioneers. Until 1937 the Franciscan priests served as chaplains of local convents, assisted the parish priests in their pastoral work and preached retreats in the area. They founded Saint Francis High School in an endeavor to meet the needs of the Catholic youth of the area. The High School enjoyed a rapid growth and was soon considered to be of high caliber. The First graduation was in 1943, at which time the administration judged it expedient to extend the educational program to include the First two years of college. 17